Presbyterian Vote Falls Short After Promising Progress

posted Jul 8, 2012, 5:08 AM by Mel Soriano

In a close vote on an issue that has long divided mainline Protestant churches, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted on Friday
against changing the definition of marriage in its constitution from a
union between “a man and a woman” to a union between “two people.”
Earlier this week, Integrity USA's sister organization, More Light Presbyterians, reported that their work had borne fruit in a first-time committee passage of this change in definition.

"We
were pleased on Tuesday to learn of the progress toward marriage
equality that was happening with our Presbyterian brothers and sisters,
and join them today in their sadness to learn that their hopes weren't
realized just yet," said Integrity USA's VP for National Affairs, the
Rev. Jon M. Richardson. "At Integrity USA we know the long and
sometimes painful journey that it can be toward realizing the full and
equal claim that we are promised at baptism.

"In the Episcopal
Church we have been on this journey for more than 35 years; we have
learned and come to believe that the arc of history is long, but that it
bends toward justice. While the disappointment that our colleagues at
More Light Presbyterians face is all too familiar, we pledge to redouble
our efforts at the 77th General Convention of the Episcopal Church to
make marriage equality a reality."